Hi all, Is there a better way of cutting flex track to length than by the use of track cutters. They tend to leave a tangled twisted mess, rough edges and uneven ends...and thats just me! What does everyone else use?
Scoot
Abrasive cutting discs in a Dremel or similar minature power tool works well, but always use safety goggles, the discs occasionally fracture. Regards, Bill.
My dad always uses a fine tooth saw then a little wet and dry to smooth off.
Lee
Better track cutters.
The Xuron ones I have used successfully; one side of the rail often requires a couple of strokes with a file, but otherwise very clean cuts.
I've also used a cutting disk in a drill successfully, but as others have/will point out, *wear eye protection*. The disks do shatter, and being blind in one eye does absolutely nothing for fine modelling skills.
R.
The other downside to cutting discs that I find is the small amounts of fine swarf that permeate the atmosphere that then need cleaning up, the rails getting hot and melting the sleepers, the inability to cut the rail square if cutting the track in situ. I agree that using a disc is probabley the only way of cutting out a piece of track to be replaced but I much prefer cutters of even a small hacksaw.
Kevin
"scoot" wrote
Xuron track cutters are superb when used correctly (as per instructions).
John.
Scoot,
An alternative to cutters is to use a fine tooth razor saw - like the Xacto ones. These saws cut nickel silver track quite well. But it pays to have a form of clamp to hold the track and prevent the rails being bent or pulled out of the clips on the sleepers. The simplest clamp is a short piece of wood which is a bit wider than the track gauge in one direction. Saw two slots on one side of the wood to the gauge of your track which will be a reasonably neat fit on the rails - a hacksaw blade will probably give a slot in the wood which is a reasonably good fit on Code 83 and Code 100 rail. For smaller rail, a junior hacksaw blade might suffice. For heavier rail, use two or more hacksaw blades together, or look at using something lika a tenon saw
To use the clamp, place the wood on the rail with the slots downward, located on the rail heads, and very close to where you want to cut, and apply a bit of downward pressure on the wood to hold the rails firmly, then saw through the rails. Take it easy and don't force the process too much and you finish up with quite a fine cut through both rails with the rail ends pretty clean and square (if you've sawed at right angles!!).
The late Bill McMillan of Cathcart Models in Glasgow used to provide retail versions of the rail clamp many years ago, and I think I've seen other rail clamps on sale since then.
Jim.
Its either you or you have poor cutters, the Xuron track cutters do a nice clean cut. But only on one side, if you want clean cuts both sides you have to cut twice and sacrifice a few millimetres of rail. Keith
On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 17:57:58 +1100, "William Pearce" said in :
Or go out of balance, bend the arbor and fly out at high speedhitting you in the eye.
DAMHIKIJKOK?
Guy
Thanks to all who have replied, both publicly and privately. I now believe it is the cutters, so I will invest in a nice new Xuron set. Thanks again, Scoot
A fine tooth saw will cut track o.k., but often such a saw cannot be used easily. Examples, cutting rails between two station platforms, in a cutting, with lineside fences or other scenic items, all of these things will impede the cross strokes of the saw. Even another line of track alongside could be an impediment. The Xuron cutter sounds the best and cheapest arrangement, but as I have the small power tool with cutting disc, I'll stick to that. Regards, Bill.
To my mind, the best way of cutting track or just about anything else in an awkward position is with a Fein Multimaster. Only problem with this is that they cost about £150. The blades do not spin as in normal saws but oscillate instead. Very versatile tool. If you can borrow one or hire one this may be an option if you have a lot of track to lay.
And also one of the safest, (Based on what the hospitals use to remove plaster casts.
Eddie
You won't be disappointed. After recommendations from John and others here, I bought a pair and haven't looked back.
As you might expect, they do loose sharpness over time - or so I'm told. Mine are still fine, but I would avoid using them for anything but track - keep a second pair of cutters for other jobs.
Adrian
It shows the tool cutting the bottom off the architrave of a door for a hardwood floor, I assume that it could also cut the bottom off the skirting. I have always been put off putting in a hardwood floor due to the need to take all the skirting off and refit it. I will look into this tool.
Kevin
Do you know of any stockists other than buying on the internet? My local tool shop in Watford doesn't stock Fein tools. I like to see what I am getting first.
Kevin
Why not use the telephone and call the distributors?
MBQ
Sometimes a personal recommendation beats sitting going through endless options and listening to crap music on the telephone. Having sent an email to Adaptec about a SCSI card and got no response then spent half an hour going through options and waiting on the phone I gave up.
Kevin
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